Chess, often referred to as the “”game of kings,”” is a timeless and strategic board game that has captured the hearts and minds of players for centuries. Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to brush up on your skills, understanding the essential rules of chess is the first step towards mastering the game. In this article, we will explore the fundamental rules that every beginner should know. Setting up the Board: A chessboard consists of 64 squares, alternating between light and dark colors.

Each player starts with 16 pieces, including one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. Place the pieces on the board according to the specified layout. Moving the Pieces: Each piece has its own unique way of moving. The king moves one square in any direction, while the queen can move in any direction along the rank, file, or diagonal. Rooks move horizontally or vertically, knights move in an L-shape, bishops move diagonally, and pawns move forward one square, but capture diagonally. Capturing: When a piece lands on a square occupied by an opponent’s piece, it captures that piece, removing it from the board.

The captured piece is out of play for the remainder of the game. Check and Checkmate: The ultimate objective of chess is to checkmate your opponent’s king. This occurs when the king is under attack (in check) and has no legal move to escape capture. If a player cannot move their king out of check, the game ends in checkmate, and the opposing player wins. Special Moves: There are a few special moves in chess. Castling allows the king to move two squares towards a rook and the rook to move rules of chess to the square next to the king.